Top Former FDC leaders reading a joint statement on Friday (PHOTO BY BOBI AINE)

MBARARA: In a major setback to the opposition Forum for Democratic Change (FDC), over 63 senior party leaders in Ankole Sub-region have Friday October 26, tendered in the resignation of their party leadership positions.

The leaders handed in their sent their resignation letters on Friday and declaring that they are now part of Gen Mugisha Muntu’s new ‘New formation, a political platform in the process of forming a new political party by December 25, 2018.

“We, the leaders of the FDC of Ankole Sub-Region, members of the press, ladies, and gentlemen, on behalf of fellow leaders of Forum for Democratic Change, present here today, allow me to submit to you this resignation statement,” the leaders noted.

List of top leaders who have crossed from the FDC to the Gen. Mugisha Muntu’s new formation

Anthony Rutahweire, now the new Isingiro District ‘new formation coordinator said the numbers leaving the party could be even higher, following the irreconcilable differences that marred the party in during and after the 2017 party presidential elections

The leaders revealed that they took the decision after they had weighed in all options and that a significant number of people who believed in both strategies felt uncomfortable in perusing a sole strategy as a means of capturing power and transforming the nation.

“As leaders, we have tried everything humanly possible to engage our fellow leaders from defiance group on how best we can harmonise these tendencies and be within the party but all efforts yielded no fruits,” Rutahweire PML Daily.

The group on Friday also unveiled ‘The New Formation’ office which in Mbarara Town which will be coordinating political platform activities.

In September this year, Mugisha Muntu, now the New Formation” patron stated that he also quit FDC due to ideological differences.

He stressed that ‘defiance’ ideology cannot be achieved without building party structures and also added that he was also forced to quit due to internal turmoil in the party.

“I was abused, I was undermined but I kept working for the party unity,” he stated.

When contacted Stanley Katembeyi the FDC chairperson for Mbarara Municipality who is also one of the senior members of the party on the massive defection of their leaders, he laughed at them. “They came with a mission after failing to achieve if, they had to leave, let them go with Muntu and be sold to NRM, we are not threatened FDC will remain a strong party no matter what